House Democrats Don’t Appear For Roll Calls, Chamber Stalls

By
Brandon Smith

Posted February 22, 2011

UPDATE (12:45 p.m.): Indiana Public Broadcasting’s Brandon Smith reports a second roll call at noon also failed to reach a quorum, with House Speaker Brian Bosma noting that many Democrats’ cars are not even in the Statehouse parking lot. Bosma said he does have constitutional power to call back the missing legislators, but is not yet prepared to use that power.

The Indiana House must delay business again as Democrats failed to appear for Tuesday’s roll call.

On Monday afternoon, the House Democrats went into caucus and never returned to the floor. Speaker of the House Brian Bosma pushed the remainder of the chamber’s calendar to Tuesday as a result. When this morning’s roll call took place, most Democrats were still nowhere to be found.

“Indiana isn’t Wisconsin. However, I can assure you that we are working very hard to review those amendments, to review those bills and to try to come up with a strategy that is acceptable to the folks who also elected us,” said Rep. Terri Austin (D-Anderson).

Rep. Vanessa Summers (D-Indianapolis), said her party may be feeling frustration over a number of issues.

“We have the education, the vouchers, charter schools, the abortion issues. Right to work is just part of this radical agenda that we are trying to stop. Wisconsin left on one idea; we have more than ten ideas that will destroy our state.”

Austin could say when the Democrats will return and said some Democrats aren’t even in the building.

If they don't show up it would appear they are in agreement than it is considered a yea vote.

And if I did not show up to work I would be fired and all them should be too. Just because they want to act like baby's not a good reason not to show up to work fired them.

Please a list of demands thats bull how old are they ? Do your job that you were voted in for or resign.

What is RSS? RSS makes it possible to subscribe to a website's updates instead of visiting it by delivering new posts to your RSS reader automatically. Choose to receive some or all of the updates from Indiana Public Media News:

What is RSS? RSS makes it possible to subscribe to a website's updates instead of visiting it by delivering new posts to your RSS reader automatically. Choose to receive some or all of the updates from Indiana Public Media News: